February 2009 Authentication of Documentation a Must!

Any documentation of any service must be properly authenticated by the provider. This would include the date of the services rendered, the provider's signature -stamps are not acceptable to most payers- however, electronic signatures are acceptable, any signature must include at minimum a legible signature along with at least the first name initial coupled with the last name and credentials. The development and implementation of EHR -electronic health records- systems will ease some of these important issues associated with documentation but the documentation still needs to be created.